How to measure the productivity of your frontline staff.

Are you curious about measuring staff productivity? You're not the only one with this question. It's an increasingly popular practice in the hospitality and retail industry. And for good reason. There is a huge value in mapping this out. This allows you're employees to spend their time better while better results can be achieved.

 
In a hurry? Here’s a quick run-down.

- This blog explains what staff productivity is all about. Performing work that produces value.

- As you will soon see, by measuring staff productivity you can determine how the company is performing. We dive deeper into why that is, and how you can do it.

- At the bottom, you'll find two ways that you can use to measure your staff's productivity. Spoiler alert: one of them is completely automated.

Before we dive into how you can measure staff productivity. Let's clarify what staff productivity truly means. There is a common misunderstanding that productivity stands for getting more things done during the day. This is wrong. A practical example is that the speed of cooking a dish is less important than delivering quality on the plate. This does not mean that the time spent on the task is not important. Productivity is about doing what provides value in the time necessary. While being consistent. It's all about focusing on the outcome.

It's easier said than done. Because before we can measure if time is well spent, we have to identify what actually matters. What brings value differs based on a company's activities. For example, in the restaurant industry, the example above is relevant. In retail, different criteria are important. It comes down to natural differences per industry. One thing that is common to every industry is the importance of measuring productivity.

As explained, being productive differs from getting much done. Not only is it important for achieving your business goals. It also has a major impact on the well-being of your employees. Measuring something gives you the information you need in order to make sure you actually achieve what you set out to do. By clearly mapping out what you expect from your employees, your employees know what they are being judged on. This makes it easier to give feedback. For instance, 92% of the workforce indicates that when feedback is delivered constructively, it influences their productivity in a positive way.


''If you can measure it, you can manage it.''



Furthermore, measuring productivity allows you to determine how your business is performing. The ultimate goal is that your business succeeds, and this depends on the contribution your staff makes to it. Clarity and transparency in the company's goals ensure greater engagement and build a collective. This collective is the foundation of a company that works together towards achieving the company objectives and ensures a pleasant atmosphere.

Measuring what matters makes it easier to compliment or manage your staff. Expectations are clear, and you're able to give low performers the help they need. Your results ultimately depend on how well your staff performs. And the leader is the one who controls this.

Measuring productivity offers you a handle on achieving this. In addition, it provides insight into where possible adjustments should be made before it has negative consequences. This potentially saves a lot of time and money in the way your staff carries out tasks and serves the customers.

Now that we understand the importance of measuring productivity. Here's two ways how we can measure it.

One way to measure the productivity of your staff is the productivity formula. The formula allows you to measure how much output is being delivered with the invested input.

Output / Input = Productivity

If the turnover is $10,000.00, and there are 10 employees who have worked 20 hours each (200 in total). The formula looks like this:

Output = $10,000.00 / Input = (10 employees x 20 hours) = $50.00 per hour

The formula provides great intel on the average productivity. However, there are a few things missing here. It gives an average result, and you will be amazed how much the results between a top and bottom performer can differ.

This way not only allows you to measure productivity. It provides insight into staff productivity on an individual level. At Workfeed we provide you the possibility to assess the productivity of your frontline staff on an individual level. We do this by bringing the data from your schedule and your Point of Sale (POS) system together. The data is combined in an easy-to-use overview that shows your staff's revenue contribution. So not only are you able to see who is contributing the most. You can also link your low performers and top performers to increase overall productivity within your team.

What makes it even cooler is that the revenue contribution is crafted to include the natural impact of the busiest days. So, for example, if you see higher revenue on Fridays and Saturdays, it doesn't benefit people who work primarily on those days. This way you get a reliable understanding of the total revenue contribution without the impact of the fact that some people work mainly on busy days. No confusion, but straightforward results.